Repin I.Ye. The Portrait of Yelizaveta Dmitrievna Botkina. 1881; The Dog Pegas. 1894
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Ilya Yefimovich Repin is an outstanding Russian painter who had a great impact on a constellation of talented artists such as V.A. Serov, B.M. Kustodiev, I.E. Grabar, F.A. Malyavin. Working in different painting genres - historical, everyday life, portrait, the artist created quite a few paintings that became iconic in the Russian art.
In addition to portraits of prominent people of art and culture, Repin painted a large number of ordered portraits, having risen to prominence as Russia’s most celebrated realist painter. “The Portrait of Yelizaveta Dmitrievna Botkina” was created by the artist in 1881. The portrait was painted from the daughter of the renowned entrepreneur and collector Dmitry Petrovich Botkin and the niece of the great lyric poet Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet. In 1889, Yelizaveta Dmitrievna married Konstantin Gustavovich Dunker, an engineer. Afanasy Fet wrote a congratulation message on the occasion of the wedding of his favorite niece. The Dunker spouses came down in the Russian art history as “promoters of works by M.A. Vrubel” whose paintings adorned the walls of their mansion on Povarskaya Street in Moscow. However, when Yelizaveta Dmitrievna was posing for the portrait, all these joyful events and family-nest building chores were to take place in future; the portrait by Repin shows a girl who, though can hardly be called a beauty, is dazzlingly young and attractive in the white-and-blue flouncy dress decorated with lace and flowers. The vibrant youth and natural posture of the model are masterfully captured by the artist who accentuates them by tiny details of the stylish outfit of the heroine and intensifies them by light colors prevailing in the portrait. The painting is full of harmony, beauty and tranquility; the luxurious accessories borrowed from her father’s collection and the large antique armchair, in which the young girl is sitting so gracefully, give the idea of her affiliation to a wealthy and reputable family.
There is another painting by Repin in the museum collection – the so-called portrait of the artist’s pet – the dog named Pegas. The portrait was painted in 1894. Although Repin was not an animalist painter, he made several drawings and paintings where he depicted his pet - all of them are painted with genuine mastery and true fondness.
In addition to portraits of prominent people of art and culture, Repin painted a large number of ordered portraits, having risen to prominence as Russia’s most celebrated realist painter. “The Portrait of Yelizaveta Dmitrievna Botkina” was created by the artist in 1881. The portrait was painted from the daughter of the renowned entrepreneur and collector Dmitry Petrovich Botkin and the niece of the great lyric poet Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet. In 1889, Yelizaveta Dmitrievna married Konstantin Gustavovich Dunker, an engineer. Afanasy Fet wrote a congratulation message on the occasion of the wedding of his favorite niece. The Dunker spouses came down in the Russian art history as “promoters of works by M.A. Vrubel” whose paintings adorned the walls of their mansion on Povarskaya Street in Moscow. However, when Yelizaveta Dmitrievna was posing for the portrait, all these joyful events and family-nest building chores were to take place in future; the portrait by Repin shows a girl who, though can hardly be called a beauty, is dazzlingly young and attractive in the white-and-blue flouncy dress decorated with lace and flowers. The vibrant youth and natural posture of the model are masterfully captured by the artist who accentuates them by tiny details of the stylish outfit of the heroine and intensifies them by light colors prevailing in the portrait. The painting is full of harmony, beauty and tranquility; the luxurious accessories borrowed from her father’s collection and the large antique armchair, in which the young girl is sitting so gracefully, give the idea of her affiliation to a wealthy and reputable family.
There is another painting by Repin in the museum collection – the so-called portrait of the artist’s pet – the dog named Pegas. The portrait was painted in 1894. Although Repin was not an animalist painter, he made several drawings and paintings where he depicted his pet - all of them are painted with genuine mastery and true fondness.
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